A FOUR-YEAR-OLD, a great-grandma and a close friend were the vulnerable victims of this lowlife thief.

Steven Haugh, 31, escaped jail at Gateshead Magistrates when he was handed a suspended prison sentence for a cold-hearted stealing spree.

Haugh swiped a PSP games console belonging to a four-year-old when it was accidentally left in a waiting room.

The tot was with his dad at Blaydon housing office when they were called to an interview room and he left the treasured toy in the waiting area.

Haugh, of Chopwell, Gateshead, spotted his chance and pocketed the expensive gadget, walking out before the family returned. He then sold it for £40.

Just two weeks later, Haugh was with his eight-month-old son and partner at Chopwell Children’s Centre when he spotted a purse left in a buggy in the entrance way.

It was left there accidentally by a pensioner who was taking her great-grandaughter to the centre.

Haugh, of Severn Street, emptied it of the woman’s pension money - thought to be over £70 - before returning it to the buggy. The new dad used it to buy heroin substitute Subutex.

Two weeks later, he stooped to a new low by stealing from a close friend, who had entrusted him with the PIN number to his debit card.

The sneaky thief memorised the code in case he ever had the chance to steal from his friend in the future. He spotted the card on the coffee table at his pal’s house one day and nabbed it, using it to steal over £240.

Haugh headed to a Co-op grocery store in Chopwell and bought three small quantities of goods, asking for £50 cash-back each time.

Prosecutor Jim Hope said: “The assistant became suspicious. He asked for one further transaction of £1.49 with £50 cash-back.

“She voided the transaction and told him it had been declined. He left the store and she contacted police.

“He entered the store the following morning. He made two further transactions, and the PIN number was again correctly entered.”

But police caught up with him when he was identified on CCTV images from the Co-op. He was also caught on CCTV at Blaydon housing office, and at Chopwell Children’s Centre.

In a statement read out in court, the great-grandma said: “This incident has left me very shaken and nervous, especially as I am in poor health.”

Haugh sent £100 to the great-grandma before the court case, by way of compensation and admitted all the charges.

He tried to get the PSP back, but it had already been sold.

Magistrates handed him eight week suspended prison sentences for each offence, to run concurrently.

He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation for the PSP, £248 to his friend, and told to complete a drug rehabilitation programme.

Defending, Peter Farrier said: “He made full admissions and co-operated with police. He realised the impact it had on the victims.”